THE CHINA MAIL, FEBRUARY 10, 1940
FINN
SNIPERS'
GHOST
TACTICS
Details of the fighting in Finland, which show how extraordinary
are
the conditions and even more extra- ordinary the bravery and self-sacrifice of the Finps, are contained in a vivid despatch to the. "Corriere della Sera" by Signor Indro Montanelli, corres- pondent with the Finnish forces.
He tells of the "human searchlights" which are employed by the Finns on the northern front.
Arctic In the darkness the difficulty of the Finnish troops is, quite literally, seeing to fight
As far as mere movement is con- cerned, the Finne, says Signor Mon- tanelli, can float like bats through the firewoods and silently, on their skis. reach the Red positions. But there is not sufficient light by which to alma
DOUGLAS HAIG CHANGES HIS MIND
Bparing; the name of the great. Field - Marshal, Douglas Haig Harrison lived up to it at Lon. don Conscientious Objectors' Tri- bunal.
"I have changed my mind," he said, "and should like to get into the Air Force." His name was removed from the register.
In his application, Harrison, a paint sprayer, of Elfort-road, Highbury, London, N.2, had stated that he lost his father In the fast war, and did not wish a baby his wife was expecting soon to be left fatherless as he was.
THE WAR IN FINLAND: DANGER OF NAZI- SOVIET COALITION
The Russians have now made some invasion of Bessarabía, The Finnish progress in Finland.. Their tremen-war has clearly exposed the in- dous superiority in numbers and efficiency of the Russian Army, Navy weight of metal has begun to tell. and Air Force. Whereas a month or Russian strategy is based on the idea two ago it was taken for granted that of the mass-attack, an idea that is Rumania would not attempt to resist generally regarded as old-fashioned | a Russian invasion, it would now seem but is practicable when there is im- that she will fight if Russian troops mense superiority in numbers and cross her borders. It will be easier to complete disregard for human life. help her than to help the Finns, and Russia's resources in man-power are a Russian victory no longer appears as good as inexhaustible, and the same to be a foregone conclusion. is true of her resources in war ma- terial as long as the Finnish war re- mains localised.
WILL NOT BE EASY
But if the Finns collapse because they have not even received the help they might have received, the reper- cussions in Southern-eastern Europe, an hour, the temperature then being
indeed amongst all the neutrals, will at 20 deg. below zero. Any youth who
At the same time, the Russian vic-be unfavourable to the Allied cause. fell or fainted would be held unsuit-tory-if it is a victory-will not be Events in Finland may determine the able for the army, An officer with a easy, and it may be long delayed. course of events in Rumanía. watch in his hand stood watching their Even if the Russians reach the Gulf of
rific.
This is where the "human search-ranks. lights" are employed. Two or three men in each platoon are caparisoned with powerful dry-battery electric projectors, which hang fist upon their
chests.
RUSSIANG DAZZLED BY BEAM
When the raiding party has reached its objective one of these men separ- ates from his comrades, and after an agreed interval and from an arranged direction suddenly switches on the current of his searchlight. A dazzling beam is thrown upon the surprised Communist troups, who generally are
found in dense formation, huddled to- gether for warmth.
Meanwhile the remainder of the Finnish raiding party have crept from tree to tree till they are at very close range, and from the deep shadow on either side of the lane of light they pour in a rapid and murderous fire on the dazzled Russians.
They use for the purpose a special type of weapon, the "Bergmann,"
which la more of a sub-machine-gun than a rifio, each of its chargers hold-
TURKISH ALLIANCE
Fortunately the alliance between Turkey and the Western Powers grows more and more solid and cor-
Bothnia and so not only cut Finland ""The very air," writes Signor Mon-In half but sever her from Sweden, tanelli, "was stiff with cold," but not the Finns are determined to continue one boy wavered In the ranks. At the their resistance.
This may mean end of the half-hour the officer blew abandoning the entire northern half to his whistle lightly, and all the youths, the enemy and being deprived of sup-dial. effortlessly and instantly, skied away plies from outside, for there is no way through the forest, to be followed by of reaching Southern Finland except a fresh group, who in their white through Sweden and the Baltic-and clothes stood rigid as marble statues the Baltic is commanded by the Ger- to undergo the test.
man-Russian coalition.
The cultivation of immobility is part of the ghost-tactics of the Finnish Army, so that, allent and Invisible, they may ambush the Reds.
CHINA NOT
EASILY
SLAIN
Tokyo, Jan. 28. "China is like a worm," Sir Victor Sassoon, Shanghai businessman, told
"
DANGER TO ALLIES
The danger which the existence of this coalition means to the Western Powers is at last coming to be real- ised here, though even now the real- isation is inadequate. The question of giving the Finns help on a greater scale has been considered both here and in Paris. Help is being given, and British aeroplanes in particular have shown themselves very superior to Russian aeroplanes, but if Finland is to survive more help is needed and needed quickly,
A Russian conquest of Finland Ing 25 rounde, a gun of the character | Japanese newspapermen when Inter- I would place Sweden in
viewed at Kobe en route to the Unit-absolute dependence on Germany and an almost
establish a strong preponderance the part of the German-Russian coall- tion in Northern Europe.
of the Red
made famillar in American gangster filme. With this scores troops are mowed down.
ed States.
fully alive," he added.
"You can cut China into three All this is done with intense rapid-pieces, and all three continue to move ity: the "human searchlight" then snaps his light off as quickly as he snapped it on. That is to say, if he has survived, for obviously the beam makes him a perfect mark for any of the enemy who chance to be in A flank position outside the zone of light.
The human searchlights, indeed, says Signor Montanelli, "sono i pre- destinati a morte," are "men predes- tined to death." But to carry the searchlight is considered a privilege, a sort of medal, and it is granted to those soldiers who have shown them- selves bravest and quickest in combat. BACK INTO THE DARKNESS When the searchlight has been ex- tinguished the ralding party makes off in the darkness into which the light- blinded Russians cannot follow them. and repeat their exploit presently on some other point of the front, miles away, More like ghosts, than men, in fact, they haunt everywhere the il- clad, famished Russian line, material- ize themselves an instant, stay, and are gone,
Bignor Montanelli
says that the Russlan insistence on mechanised units tells against them always. The Finns, if possible, never go into the open, 'where the tracks of their skis (this is in the southern sectors, where there is more light) would betray them to enemy alrmen.
They kepp within the fir-woods, which the Rusalan armoured-cars cân- not penetrate, while ́the ....... Finns ́ ́ use their sturdy little horses to drag light artillery on sledges along paths bê- tween the trees.
The Italian correspondent watched the training exercises of the boys of Finland, who now, from the age of 16, are preparing to take theip stand with elder brothers and fathers in the de- ferice of their country. The hardiness of the boys, astonished him..
PUASA TEST-OF-RIGIDITY- The training included a text of rigidity. Those undergoing it had to stand motionless to attention for half
Sir Victor had little more to say; he complained, however, that the press has a "deplorable liking to sensation- alise" his travels.-Havas,
OFF THE RECORD
D
WOWNED REED
RED INEFFICIENCY
оп
The Finnish war has another aspect. It is likely that the Russians plan the
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